Why clearing clutter and organising helps you strive and thrive?

Organising helps you strive and thrive, was the topic I presented to over 125 participants at the inaugural Strive and Thrive Campaign. The purpose of Strive and Thrive is to shine a light on the importance of good mental health by way of offering tips and creating a community of professionals who can aid in keeping stress and anxiety at bay.

How many people around you in your life feel like they are stressed from having too much stuff filling up their home and too much stuff to do? Do you feel that clearing the clutter and organising helps you strive and thrive but you just are too overwhelmed to make a start?

Physical and non-physical clutter and lack of time are some of the biggest stresses in our lives.

Recent researchers from UCLA observed 32 families and found that all of the mothers’ stress hormones spiked when they had to deal with belongings. In other words when we have to deal with clutter our body goes into stress leaving our mind foggy and tired.

Along with these stress levels further research from Yale University has shown that your brain reacts to decluttering of items, in the same way as when you experience physical pain. So we are feeling a physical sensation of pain when having to deal with clutter! This even surprised me, I know after helping hundreds of clients  there is some level of physical tiredness, but to feel actual pain responses, wow.

So it’s no wonder we will design clever ways to avoid clearing out the clutter and dealing with the disorganisation.

Unfortunately avoiding the situation can only lead to even more stress, overwhelm and feeling stuck and unable to change. Plus the longer you avoid clutter and disorganisation the worse the problem becomes increasing your overwhelm and procrastination.

Are you willing to take one small step towards less stress and less clutter in their life?

I’d like you to commit to just one of these small steps in the next 7 days. Are you with me?

1. Create a Clarity Zone

Clear the visual clutter from one chosen area of your home, the front of the fridge that’s covered in notes and bills. Perhaps its your desk pilled with papers and stationery. Even making you bedside table clear of clutter can give you a much brighter start to the day.

Just having one area that you can come to so that you have clear focus will give relief to your mind and stress levels.

If you have those spots already clear or simply have less clutter, you can start the process of a clarity zone to be an entire room.

Princeton University Neuroscientists discovered that clutter continually competes for your brain processing power, decreasing your ability to focus, decreasing  the ability to make decisions and clutter increases your stress levels and irritability.

2. Simply Plan the Simple Stuff

Clients tell me the most valuable tools I give them to de stress and to feel in control is planning the routine stuff of life.

Draw up in colour code all the different areas of your life. Include work, chores and play. Plot it in a planner I’ve designed one especially for those who find it hard to focus. If you would like a free week planner template just email me for a copy, EMAIL ME A FREE PLANNER.

Some studies have shown that just one hour of planning saves 18hrs of doing.

3. Nurture Yourself First for Productivity.

Getting a lot done is great but if you neglect to love and care for yourself productivity in your work and creativity takes a huge hit.

I have been on the roller coaster of “if I do more, I will be worth more”. My self-value was so low I could push myself to the brink of collapse and not even be aware. I was about to fall into a big hole of being unable to do anything.

One of the easiest daily commitments I made to build my self back to health and increase my self worth was to say affirming phrases. Along with help from a naturopath and good nourishment I was able to avoid a major operation and the phrases returned me to loving myself and my body.

If you want help with creating your own affirming phrases feel free to contact me or join the Shy Girls Belly Dance Program where I will be coaching participants to make their own.

These three steps may seem small but they can make a major impact on your life. Clearing the clutter and organising helps you strive and thrive for the life and home you want to live in.

I look forward to hearing from you on your progress please leave a comment below. You will find more tools for living with less and experiencing more on the website and subscribe to the newsletter below to receive a free gift, my new EBook – The Truth About Habits, Routines and Schedules.

Let me help you live the life you want to clear the clutter and organise via my workshop program, one to one organisation coaching or virtual organisation coaching.

In Peace and Gratitude,

Carolyn Verhoef